Ipswich Witches 2026

[ouch]

2 hours ago, Racin Jason 72 said:

Would YOU be prepared to underwrite any losses that Ipswich speedway incurs next season. ? We already know that £60k needs to be found to replace the tv money. A new air fence also needs purchasing too.  
less fixtures with a much weaker product and more repetition is going to lessen income too. 
oh yes I’d definitely risk my house for it. 

 

That makes sense at face value but with a little unpacking Louis motives become a little clearer. 

At the end of October he knew the tv deal was over and that his team would be weakened by the departure of Emil. So that’s the tv deal and weaker product covered. The air fence is another known item Louis still had to contend with whilst openly planning for 2026. 

Now we come to the fixture issue. If it’s five teams you’re basically dropping a Birmingham type team for extra visits from Belle Vue & Sheffield. Only Louis can say which is best financially, through we probably all have our own thoughts. BTW, it’s less fixtures with the same repetition or the more repetition with the same fixtures. 

The house seemed at equal risk in October as it did 2/3 weeks later but imo that’s not the issue, it’s purely down to not getting his own way. I kind of don’t blame him as the trait of almost all speedway promoters is one of “I’m alright Jack, screw you.” Owning that mindset is another thing and we continually get this smoke screen from clubs PR and social media trolls that everything they do is for the good of the sport.  

Hopefully he doesn’t kill off the club as they have been a welcome addition to the top league recently and their true fans don’t deserve to have the rug pulled after their cup win only a few weeks ago. 

 

[JamesB]

2 hours ago, Aries said:

We don’t know that’s the case. People on here claim to know all sorts when the reality is they don’t know their @rse from their elbow. 

The statement clearly said that ‘the Premiership will feature a minimum line up of five teams’. Therefore, one of the following must have been true at the time of the announcement:

1. The sale of the Witches was all but done bar the paperwork.
or
2. A new team had agreed to run in 2026.

Clearly, in light of the Louis update, 1. had not happened. If 2. had happened then would they not have been better off confirming that fact, even if it was subject to formal agreement at the AGM which surely would be a ‘give un’.

I am not convinced that either of the above had/have happened.

My view is that their preferred outcome is that the sale of the Witches is completed and that they compete in the 2026 Premiership. If this doesn’t happen, then I suspect that there is a cobbled together Plan B that they will fall back on. 

[TB1]

Let's all get one thing clear. At best it will be 5 teams unless someone is prepared to underwrite another loss making venture.

[Racin Jason 72]

1 hour ago, ouch said:

 

That makes sense at face value but with a little unpacking Louis motives become a little clearer. 

At the end of October he knew the tv deal was over and that his team would be weakened by the departure of Emil. So that’s the tv deal and weaker product covered. The air fence is another known item Louis still had to contend with whilst openly planning for 2026. 

Now we come to the fixture issue. If it’s five teams you’re basically dropping a Birmingham type team for extra visits from Belle Vue & Sheffield. Only Louis can say which is best financially, through we probably all have our own thoughts. BTW, it’s less fixtures with the same repetition or the more repetition with the same fixtures. 

The house seemed at equal risk in October as it did 2/3 weeks later but imo that’s not the issue, it’s purely down to not getting his own way. I kind of don’t blame him as the trait of almost all speedway promoters is one of “I’m alright Jack, screw you.” Owning that mindset is another thing and we continually get this smoke screen from clubs PR and social media trolls that everything they do is for the good of the sport.  

Hopefully he doesn’t kill off the club as they have been a welcome addition to the top league recently and their true fans don’t deserve to have the rug pulled after their cup win only a few weeks ago. 

 

Another view is he could have continued and lost enough money to not be able to continue in 27. 
maybe the bombshell has just been dropped 12 months early. The end result is still the same.  

[arnieg]

46 minutes ago, JamesB said:

The statement clearly said that ‘the Premiership will feature a minimum line up of five teams’. Therefore, one of the following must have been true at the time of the announcement:

1. The sale of the Witches was all but done bar the paperwork.
or
2. A new team had agreed to run in 2026.

Clearly, in light of the Louis update, 1. had not happened. If 2. had happened then would they not have been better off confirming that fact, even if it was subject to formal agreement at the AGM which surely would be a ‘give un’.

I am not convinced that either of the above had/have happened.

My view is that their preferred outcome is that the sale of the Witches is completed and that they compete in the 2026 Premiership. If this doesn’t happen, then I suspect that there is a cobbled together Plan B that they will fall back on. 

Or:

3. The BSPL were hoping [in the words of Mr McCawber] that something might turn up.

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

21 hours ago, IainB said:

Has a Birmingham look about it 😂

I'd say that's exactly what to expect - at best!!